Understanding planning · 13 min read
Planning application documents: what to read first
Understand planning application documents, officer reports and decision notices. Use a reading checklist, document table and worked example to inspect a case.
Scotland · Local authority
Orkney Islands
Planning applications.
Explore collected planning applications and decisions for Orkney Islands. Search an address, application reference or proposal to find a record.
Collected application statistics
Collected records · All available dates11,978Searchable applications
140Recorded as pending
96%Approval rate · 10,073 approved or refused records
434Refused applications
9,639 approved · 434 refused · 561 withdrawn. Received dates in our records: 24 Sept 1979 to 5 Oct 2026. Most recent record check: 14 Oct 2026. Counts reflect the last collected status; some records may be out of date.
Local planning information
Council sources checked 14 Sept 2026Planning information Planning and BuildingLocal plan Development and Marine Planning (policy)Pre-application advice Pre-application AdviceConservation areas Conservation Area Consent
Council contacts
- Planning enquiries01856873535Council source
- Planning enquiriesplanning@orkney.gov.ukCouncil source
Contact details were found on council pages. Check the source for opening hours and which enquiries the service handles.
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions
Explore published planning boundaries and follow their source records for designation details. Coverage varies: an empty map does not mean there are no restrictions. Check the council’s current maps and documents before relying on a boundary.
Conservation areas6 mapped area records
Article 4 direction areasBoundary dataset not connected
Interactive planning map loads with JavaScript. Dataset sources are linked below.
Download Article 4 coverage for all authorities (CSV)
Data downloaded 14 Sept 2026. Display boundaries are simplified and indicative. Map record counts are not a complete count of designations or directions.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland. Contains Historic Environment Scotland and Ordnance Survey data © Historic Environment Scotland – Scottish Charity No. SC045925 © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data is indicative and may not contain the latest designations.
More application records
- Decided16/233/MARCON
Refurbish harbour
Pierowall Harbour, Westray
Received 24 May 2016 - Decided16/234/HH
Extend a house
Muckle Geo, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LU
Received 24 May 2016 - Decided16/236/HH
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
24 Broadsands Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1BP
Received 25 May 2016 - Decided16/237/HH
Replace roof tiles with Welsh slate
Belgarth, Kirbister Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HU
Received 26 May 2016 - Decided16/238/HH
Erect garage and extend house
Willowvale, Quholm Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3HT
Received 27 May 2016 - Decided16/239/HH
Remove existing porch & build a sunporch
Redlandhill, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3LN
Received 27 May 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/240/HH
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
14 Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DZ
Received 30 May 2016 - Withdrawn/Returned16/241/LB
Install an air source heat pump (retrospective)
14 Franklin Road, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DZ
Received 30 May 2016 - Decided16/242/AMC
Erect a house with detached garage and an air source heat pump
Whitecleat (Land Near), Tankerness, Orkney
Received 2 Jun 2016 - Decided16/243/PP
Erect a house with an integral garage and air source heat pump
Site 4, Greenfield, Toab, Orkney
Received 1 Jun 2016 - Decided16/244/PP
Erect a garage
Plot 9, Lower Grainbank, Kirkwall, Orkney
Received 2 Jun 2016 - Decided16/246/HH
Extend a house
The Bridge House, The Palace, Birsay, Orkney, KW17 2LX
Received 3 Jun 2016 - Decided16/247/HH
Extend a house
East Myre, Sanday, Orkney, KW17 2BA
Received 7 Jun 2016 - Decided16/248/PP
Erect a house with integral garage and an air source heat pump
Millfield (Land Near), Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3LL
Received 8 Jun 2016 - Decided16/249/PP
Erect a house with an air source heat pump and retain existing non-domestic building of historic merit as a domestic store
Newhouse, Harray, Orkney, KW17 2JR
Received 9 Jun 2016 - Decided16/250/PP
Erect a house, install air source heat pump and create an access.
Cairn House (Land Near) Rousay, Orkney
Received 7 Jun 2016 - Decided16/251/APN
Erect a GP shed
Norton, Dounby, Orkney, KW17 2HS
Received 8 Jun 2016 - Decided16/252/PP
Install a 15m lattice tower, erect 3 cabinets, 1 satalite dish, erect a fence and create hardstanding
Georth Farm (Land Near), Evie, Orkney
Received 8 Jun 2016 - Decided16/253/PP
Install a 20m lattice tower, erect 3 cabinets, 1 satalite dish, erect a fence and create hardstanding
Mucklehame (Site Near), Swannay, Birsay, Orkney
Received 8 Jun 2016 - Decided16/254/PP
Install a 20m lattice tower, erect 3 cabinets, 1 satalite dish, erect a fence and create hardstanding
Gallowhill (Site Near), Pierowall, Westray, Orkney
Received 8 Jun 2016 - Decided16/255/LB
Replace underground chamber, pipes and outfall, install manholes, and replace slipway surface.
Orkney Fishermen Society, Stromness
Received 10 Jun 2016 - Decided16/256/LB
Alter existing chamber, install chamber, manhole cover, cable ducts and replacement pipework.
Sutherland's Pier, Stromness
Received 10 Jun 2016 - Decided16/257/LB
Install an air source heat pump and solar panel.
8 Alfred Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3DF
Received 10 Jun 2016 - Decided16/258/PP
Reinstate and extend a house
Muddisdale, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1RS
Received 13 Jun 2016
Records are ordered by application ID, not submission date. Use search to find a particular address or proposal.
View all applicationsResearching a proposal in Orkney Islands
Start with the address or application reference. Open a record to read the proposal, dates and available documents, then check the official register for the latest plans and consultation details. If nothing appears, check coverage before treating the result as a complete planning history.
Planning procedures in Scotland differ from those in England. Use the authority’s own guidance for application requirements, comments and decision timescales.
How to search planning applicationsGuides to planning records
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Planning approval rates: how to read council statistics
Understand planning approval rates with an interactive calculator, worked examples and comparison table. Check sample sizes, outcomes and coverage before comparing.
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What these statistics cover
These figures describe applications collected by PlanningTrack for Orkney Islands, across all dates currently available. They are a partial dataset, rather than an authority-wide performance measure. The date range does not establish continuous historical coverage.
The approval percentage is approved records divided by approved plus refused records. Pending, withdrawn and unknown outcomes are excluded. No percentage is shown until there is an approved or refused record.
Check collection coverage